Weft bunch remover



1963 o. v. PAYNE 3,101,099

' WEFT BUNCH REMOVER Original Filed Feb. 6. 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR OSCAR V. PAYNE QQMTM ATTORNEY g- 1963 b. v. PAYNE 3,101,099

WEFT BUNCH REMOVER Original Filed Feb. 6, 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR OSCAR V. PAYNE ATTORNEY Aug. 20, 1963 o. v. PAYNE WEFT BUNCH REMOVER Original Filed Feb. 6, 1961 F I G.

9 Shets-Sheet 5 F l G. l O

146 4 4 49c I 4 Ob 40a 28 1 J U INVENTOR OSCAR v. PAYNE ATTORNEY 0, 1963 o. v. PAYNE 3,101,099

' I WEFT BUNCH REMOVER Original Filed Feb. 6. 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet 4 352365 45 FIG. 6 3

FIG. 20

ATTORNEY Aug. 20, 1963 o. v. PAYNE ,0

' WEFT BUNCH REMOVER Original Filed Feb. 6. 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR OSCAR V. PAYNE C IM ATTORNEY Aug. 20, 1963 o, v, PAYNE 7 3,101,099

- WEFT BUNCH REMOVER' INVENTOR OSCAR V. PAYNE QQW M ATTORNEY ,1963 o.v. PAY N E I 3,101,099

' WEFT BUNCH REMOVER 9 Sheets-Sheet 7 INVENTOR OSCAR V. PAYNE GMTM ATTORNEY Aug. 20, 1963 o. v. PAYNE v 3,101,099

WEFT BUNCH REMOVER Original Filed Feb. 6. 1961 9 Sheets-Sheet 9 INVENTOR OSCAR v. PAYNE ATTORNEY Unite States Patent O ce 3 ,1hl,099 Patented Aug.20, 1963 This application is a division of my 'copending application Serial No. 87,237 fi led February -6, 19 61, which application relates to a weft replenishing multi-color loom. This divisional application relates more particularly to a weft bunch remover means for said loom, said means being shown but not claimed in the above-identified application.

Heretofore it has been proposed to equip a loom adapted to weave weft of one color only with a removable bobbin magazine which is filled with bobbins in the winding room and is then taken to the weave room and applied to the loom. When the magazine is depleted of bobbins it is removed inom the loom and replaced with another similar magazine. So far as is known this principle has not been used on multi-shuttle looms weaving wefts of different characteristics, such as color, size, ma terial, or other feature.

The reason tor using replaceable magazines is to reduce the labor of bobbin boys incident to keeping looms supplied with reserve bobbins. It is the general purpose of this invention to provide removable magazines for a loom weaving more than one kind or weft. I

It is another object oi? the invention to provide the loom with discharge openings for difierent types of wei t in the magazine and provide means tor registering the various stacks or groups of bobbins with their respective discharge openings. I

' It is another object of the invention to increase the reserve bobbin capacity of a loom-by providing a pair of stacks of bobbins tor each character of weft and iced hob-bins alternately frorn the stacks by means of cradles, the loom and magazines having cooperating means for holding the latter in position so that the stacks register with the cradles.

It is a [further object of the invention to provide weft replenishing mechanism including an intermediate stationary irame, removable magazine means above'and registered with the framework, and a horizontally rnovable multi-pocket tray below the framework shiftable to move a bobbin which was derived from a magazine and passed through the framework toward a transfer position.

It is another object of the invention to provide simple means 'for moving the tray either forwardly or rearwardly from a normal position by a multi-pivot but normally unpivoted lever associated with selective means to determine which of the pivots shall be active.

Reserve bobbins used with replenishing mechanism as contemplated herein usually have small weft bunches wound on their tips. The bunches are removed incident to bobbin transfer and held during the pick of the shuttle following transfer to eifect self-threading oi the shuttle. It is another object of this invention to provide a bunch remover including a hollow member or head which is slipped over the tip of the bobbin in order to direct oompressed lair against the bunch and remove it the bob bin tip. A flexible conical element made for instance of soft rubber is blown against the comically wound part of the weft of the bobbin to prevent unravelling of the thread h'om the bobbin. Other forms of removers to be described hereinafter include turbine or paddle wheels air driven to push the bunch of the bobbin tip, and a 2 reciprocating piston, all to be set forth in more detail as the description proceeds.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood reference is made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate by way of example three embodiments of the invention and in which:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation (of a loom having the invention applied thereto,

FIG. 2 is an enlanged side elevation looking in the direction of arrow 2, FIG. 1, showing the weft replenishing magazine and associated parts,

FIG. 3 is an enlarged section on line 33, FIG. 2, parts I being broken away,

FIG. 4 is a detail section on line 4-4, FIG. 3, showing a cam for rocking two bobbin cradles,

FIG. 5 is a horizontal section on line 55, FIG. 2,

FIG. 6 is an enlarged section on line 66, FIG. 2,

FIG. 7 is a plan of the bobbintray, the parts above it being omitted, showing also the bobbin transporting lever,

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the electric circuits and the parts they control, the extreme lefthand upper part showing part of the head of the loom and the remainder of the figure showing parts at the opposite or 7 magazine end,

FIG. 9' is a diagrammatic view showing the bobbin tray and associated parts in normal position with the tray pockets aligned vertically with their respective cradle compartments above,

FIGS. 10-13 are diagrammatic views showing the bobbin tray in tour difierent positions,

FIG. 14 is a side elevation of the bobbin transporting lever and associated parts looking in the direction of arrow 14, FIG. 7.

FIGS. 15-18 show parts of FIG. 14 in different positions,

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing the relation oi the bobbin transporting lever and tuansferer arm,

FIG. 20 is a longitudinal section through the preferred form of bunch remover shown in FIG. 7,

FIG. 21 is a view similar to FIG. 20 but showing a modified form of bunch remover,

FIG. 22 is an end view looking into the remover of FIG. 21 in the direction of arrow 22,

FIG. 23 is similar to FIG. 20 but of a second modified form,

FIG. 24 is a detail view looking in the direction of arrow 24, FIG. 5, showing the feeler controlled mechanism for rocking the color slide,

'FIG.25 is a time diagram showing the cyclic relation of the various parts and operations of the invention,

"FIG. .26 is an enlarged vertical section on line 26 -26, FIG. 8, showing one of the solenoids, its core and associated parts,

FIG. 27 is a detail elevation looking forwardly from the left [of FIG. 7, showing the driving means tfior three one-rotation cams, Y

. FIG. 28 is a verticalsection of a bunch remover cam and follower on line 28-2 8, FIG. 7,

FIG. 29 is a perspective of a corner or the magazine looking in the direction of amow 29 showing the handle of the com- Many of the parts of the loom used with this invention are the same as those found on the usual Crompton & Knowles automatic fancy weft replenishing loom. The loom, see FIG. 1, has a frame 1 with right and left-hand loomside's 2 and 3, and has alay 'L which moves as usual through front, top, back and bottom center positions and returns to front center each beat or pick of the loom. The lay has l3. gang of shuttle boxes LG at its leftend controlled by a pattern chain P, FIGS. 1 and 30, forming part of a Knowles head mechanism K. The top and; bottom shafts 4 and 5 of the loom operate as usual, as do the warp letoft, the weft picking, and cloth takeup mechanism, etc. (not shown). Gang LGhas four shuttle box. cells B1,, B2, B3 and B4, reading down, for four shuttles S1, S2, S3 and S4.

That part of head K which controls the shuttle box gang LG includes two vibrator levers 111 and 11, see FIG. 30, which are independently movable to high or low position by reason of chain P, whereby these levers have four different relative positions, one for each of the shuttle box cells B1434. The levers and 11 act on small indicator levers 16 and 17, see FIG. 31, pivoted on the mechanism K and on which floats a. lever 18 pivoted to them and connected by link 19 to an electric switch arm 20. The latter is swingable about a center 31 fixed to the loom to engage contacts 21-24, co1responding, corresponding respectively to box cells B1B.4. The part of arm 20 between contacts 21-24 and center 31 is electric conducting and is capable, depending on its position, of closing four different circuits, one at a time, one for each box cell B1B4. The levers 10 and 11, and 16 and. 17 cooperate somewhat in the manner set forth in Ryon Patent No. 1,663,957.

The Knowles head operates in the usual way and may be driven from either the top or bottom shaft on a onepick cycle, the chain being built to enable the gang LG' to shift at two-pick intervals if required to do so by the.

pattern. The invention set forth herein is not. limited in its use to the Knowles head, which is shown by way of example. It will be sufficient if the loom has means to determine inadvance of actual gang shift what that shift will be, that is, which shuttle -will be picked next.

Weft Replenishing Features At the opposite end of the loom, the right-hand side as viewed from the front and. in FIG. 1, there is located a weft replenishing mechanism which in the present instance supplies weftsof four distinctive types, suchascolor, size, character, etc. This mechanism includes a fixed structureF which supports bobbin cradles and means to rock them to deliver bobbins, a removable reserve bobbin hold-v er M" over the fixed structure, and a horizontally shi-ftable bobbin tray T under it, see FIG. 2. In addition, there is a bobbinplacer PL, FIG. 2, to take a bobbin from they tray and move it positively to a position for cooperation with the transferer arm, and there is also a bunch remover which comes into action at the time of bobbin transfer.

Stationary'Structuxe F The fixed structure F, see FIGS. 2, 3, 5' and 6, includes inner and outer side plates 30 and 32, respectively, secured to the loom frame between which extend pairs of bobbin cradles designated at 33 34, 35 and. 36. respectively, front to back, each pair including a front cradle 37 and a rear cradle 38. The pair 36 is omitted from FIG. 5 to illustrate the rearmostcradle. compartment.

Each cradle has aligned gudgeons 39-at' its ends turnable. in bearings 40' in the side plates, and the cradles rock about substantially parallel axes. Each pair of cradles is in a compartment of structure F- open at its. upper end and tapering down to an outlet. From front to back (right to left in FIG. 5) the compartments are designated at 41, 42, 43 and 44 respectively, the compartments having walls 45' connecting the side plates :as shown in FIG. 5 and converging downwardly toward the outlets. The corresponding outlets are desingated 4011-4003. The rear ends of the plates 311 land 32 are supported from an arch 25 of the loom frame by a brace 26. The front of the plates Cradle Rocking M chanism For each pair of cradles there is a rocking mechanism C, see FIG. 2, which rocks first one of the pair and then the other of. the pair. Each rocking mechanism includes a cam 46, see FIGS. 3 and 4, having a cam groove 47 which has a semicircular dwell portion 48 occupying about 180, and an incline 49 and a decline 50 also occupying about 180 of .the cam. The side of the cam opposite the groove has four lugs projecting therefrom which are equally spaced about a fixed stud 51 on which the cam turns. The axis of stud 51 is parallel to the axes of the gudgeons 39 of the associated cradles. The lugs are of unequal length, two diagonally opposite lugs 52: being long and they other two lugs 53 being short. A push pawl 54 and a pull pawl 55 are pivoted at their lower ends at 56 to an arm 57 pivoted at 58 to the inner side plate 30. The pawls are drawn toward each other by a tension spring 59. Each arm 57 has upper and lower lugs 60 and 61, respective, see FIG. 3, which are adapted for cooperation withwa color slide to be described. The front and rear cradles 37 and 38 respectively, see FIG. 4, of each. pair have arms 64 and 65 formed with lugs 66-which fit into the groove 47 of the associated cam on opposite sides of the axis of stud51.

The cradles are normally occupied by bobbins, each pair preferably having the same type of weft derived from its magazine to be described. The operation of rocking one pair of cradles, namely, pair 35, FIGS. 2 and 4, will be described, andthis will suffice for all pairs, since they are alike.

It will be assumed that the parts are originally in the 7 position shown. in FIGS. 2 land 5 andthatthe color slide (to, be described) registers with the lugs6tl and 61 corresponding to pair 33-. Indication of weft depletion in the associated shuttle will cause lug 60 to be lifted, thereby raising arm 57 and causing push pawl 54 to-lift the lefthand lower long lug. far enough to rock the earn a onequarter turn. The pull'pawl 55 also rises as the righthand upper long lug moves down and is replaced by the left-hand'upper short lug which was previously at the left but will be under the. pull. pawl 55 when lug 60* has reached its top position.

The resulting one-quarter turn of the cam moves the lug of the left-hand cradle as viewed in FIG. 2 along the incline 49 to the high point of the cam, thereby rocking the cradleto drop its bobbin, which falls along the left-hand inclined wall toward the outlet 40a. Meanwhile, the dwell of the cam has moved along the righthand. lug 66 in FIG. 2 (left-hand as viewed in FIG. 4), keeping it; fixed so that the right-hand cradle remains at rest. The left hand cradle is new empty and will remain so until the depleted shuttle which initiated the opera tion is about to return to the replenishing side. When that condition exists lug 61 will be depressed and pull.

pawl 55 will descend. and move the adjacent top short lug down far enough to give the cam another one-quarter turn.

by coaction of decline 50 and lug 66, thereby completing a one-half turn of the cam and restoring the left-handdwell part 48 of the carrigroove.

cradle and then return it to normal to receive another bobbin.

It will thus be seen that two successive reciprocat ons of a pair of pawls will cause the cam to drop a bobbin first from one cradle of the associated pair, and then from the other cradle of the pair. Bobbins are thus drawn umformly from pairs of bobbin stacks in a magazine above the cradles to be described.

Referring further to the pawls and the long and short lugs, reference may be had to the diagrams of FIGS. 32 to 36 wherein the long lugs 52a and 52b are shown in heavy circles and correspond to lugs 52 already mentioned, and the short lugs 53a and 5312 are shown inlight clrcles and correspond to lugs 53 already mentioned. FIGS. 32, 33 and 34 show a normal sequence as already described starting with lug 52a down in the lower left-hand position in FIG. 32, in upper left-hand position in FIG. 33, and in upper right-hand position in FIG. 34.

The cam 46 and lugs may be considered to be in a starting position when they are as shown in FIG. 32, and will have four successive one-quarter turns which will return them to the starting point. In assembling the parts, or as a result of repairs of adjustments, it may happen that cam 46 will be so located that lug 52a. will be in the upper lefthand position when the pawl 54 is down, as shown in FIG. 35. The parts are wrongly placed in this last figure for the beginning of a cycle of two pairs of one-quarter turns to move the cam back to its starting position, but no harm will result when the pawls have an idle up motion, since pawl 54 in rising will not engage short lug 53b, and the pawls 54 and 55 will reach their high position shown in FIG. 36 without having turned the cam. Under this condition a cradle will be empty and no bobbin will be available for the first replenishing operation. If there is not enough reserve bunch on the indicating bobbin for a repeated call for transfer the filling stop motion will stop the loom. The weaver can then hand replenish the empty shuttle.

When the pawls reach the positions of FIG. 36, however, the pawls and lugs are in the same positions they would have been in if lug 52a had been down in FIG. 35.

' The parts are in the same position in FIG. 36 that they are in FIG. 33 during a normal cycle. The motion of the pawls from the position of FIG.\ 35 to that of FIG. 36 is idle, but harmless, and the next position after FIG. 36 will be the same as FIG. 34. It is thus seen that the pawls and lugs automatically take care of an angular misplacement of the lugs which may occur at the beginning of an operation. After catching up with the cycle as in FIG. 36, subsequent operations will be normal. The rod 70 and fingers 77-80 constituting the, color slide may be considered to be actuating'means which reciprocate the pawls and give the cam 46 and the lugs fo'ur successive onequarter movementsto complete a rotation of the cam. The color slide will be described hereinafter.

' Color Slide Control The color slide for raising and loweringthe lugs 60 and 61 as already described is similar to color slides heretofore used on stationary magazines made by Crompton & Knowles Corporation, but has been modified for adaptation to the present invention. A rod 70, see FIGS. 2 and 5, is mounted for sliding and turning with respect to fixed bearings 71 at the front and back of the inside plate 30. The rear end of rod 70 has secured thereto a collar 72 formed with a peripheral groove 73 which receives the upper end of a placing lever 74 pivoted at 75. Lever 74 is connected to a flexible cable or chain 76 which extends across the loom and is moved in time with the shuttle boxes in the usual manner. I

The rod 70 has lifting and depressing fingers 77-80 sesecured thereto for cooperation with the lugs 60 and 61 when the rod is rocked on its axis. There is one finger -for each pair of lugs and the fingers are arranged along the rod so that only one of them can register with a pair at a time. Longitudinal shifting of rod 70 determined from the opposite side of the loom controls which finger shall register with its pair of lugs, 60, 61.

The mechanism for rocking the color slide is shown in FIG. 24. A cam 85 on the bottom shaft 5 of the loom rocks a lever 86 pivoted about fixed stud 87 and connected at its forward end. to an upright rod 88 which has a square sectioned block 89 on the upper end thereof. A lever 90'is pivoted between its ends to the block andhas one end movable in a slot 91 across which a movable controller pin 91a normally extends. A weft detector 92 when detecting an ample supply of weft moves the pin out of the path of the lever 90, but when the detector indicates weft exhaustion or near depletion of the pin remains under the path of the lever so that the corresponding end of lever 90 is held up and the opposite end of the lever is moved downwardly as cam effects descent of rod 88.

The opposite end of lever is pivoted to an upwardly extending rod 83 which is pivoted at 93 to an arm 94 which rocks on rod 70 between ears 95 on front bearing 71, see FIG. 5. Arm 94 has a slot 96 therein which receives a fin 97 of a casting 98 secured to rod 70. When said op Bobbin Tray Below the fixed structure l5 there is a movable means, shown here as a carrier or bobbin tray :T, mounted for horizontal sliding movement from-a normal registered loading position to any one of four positions to place a selected bobbin in the tray in position for movement toward the shuttle to be replenished. The 'trayhas inner and outer walls 101 and 102, see FIG. 7, the bottoms of which ride along supports 104 fixed to structure F, see FIG. 2. The distance between the walls 101 and 102 is greater than the length of the bobbins and there are four elements or pockets 141-144 arranged front to back each having a pair. of parallel cross rods 109 fixed to the tray. Resilient bobbin supports 110 have their upper ends curved around the rods 109, see FIG. 2, and have their lower ends curved to fit the sides and part of the under sides of the wound weit of the bobbins. Each support 110has its upper end held'to the associated rod 109 by a pin 111 which passes through the support and rod to fix the upper end of the support with respect to the tray, see FIG. 2. The lower end of the support can hold a bobbin in the tray and yield topemnit downward removal of the bobbin and then spring back to supporting position The rear ends of the walls of the tray'have secured to them ears 112 which support aligned studs 113 on which are pivoted the forks 114 of a placing link 115. The Years are placed as shown in FIG. 7 so they can clear the supports 104.

The mechanism forshifting the tray link 115 includes a four pivot lever means or member operatively connected to the tray or carrier and the plane of which is parallel to a vertical support 119 fixed to the loom trame. The manner of mounting the support is indicated in FIGS. 7 and 13. The loom includes in its fixed frame a member 116 to which are secured arms 117 extending from and fastened to the support 119. Any other convenient means for mounting the support 119 in fixed position can be used.

The support 119 has secured thereto four solenoids 121124 each provided with a movable core 126 one end 127 of which is cylindrical to serve as a bearing. Support 119 has two stationary stops or seats 128 and 129 on which the lower parts of lever 120 normally rest in such manner as to align the cores of the solenoids with their respective bores 131434 in lever 120 Link 115 is pivoted at 130 to the lower part of lever 120 and a lifter 'or actuator link 135 pivoted at 136 to the upper part of lever 120 is connected at its lower end to a bell crank lever 137 rockable about fixed pivot 138 by means to be described.

Under normal conditions lever member 120 is at rest on stop seats $128 and 129 and tray T is in normal position with its pockets 141-144 registered respectively with outlets 40a-40d above them, see FIG. 9. The cradles will be occupied by reserve bobbins of the type correspond ing to the bobbin stacks above them.

FIGS. 9 to 13 show diagrammatically the position the tray can occupy relative to the fixed structure F. FIG. 9 shows the normal position of the tray T with its pockets 141-144 registered with outlets Mia-40d, and with lever 120 unpivoted and resting on stops 128v and 129. Cam 145 is at rest and actuator link 135 is in inactive low position. When the weft replenishing operation is to occur a solenoid will be energized and its core will become an active pivot for lever 1 20', establishing in effect a pivotal connection between support 119 and lever 120. Cam 145 will be given \one rotation as will be described hereinafter and the tray will be moved to locate its selected pocket containing a bobbin in a neutral or transfer position designed at TP. The cam 145 serves as a control means for the actuator means for lever 120, the actuator means including link 135 and a lever operated by cam 1 45. An anvil 146 fixedto structure F over position TP prevents upward movement of a bobbin in position TP, as will be described.

The tray will be moved either to the left from the position shown in FIG. 9 if pocket 141 or 142 is to move to position TP, or to the right if pocket 143 or 144 is to move to position TP. Assuming that a replenishing operation is to involve a bob-bin in pocket 141, solenoid 121 will be energized so that its core will enter bore 131 and become the selected pivot for lever 120, see FIG. Immediately thereafter cam- 145 will begin its one rotation and cause lu-g 147 in cam groove 148 to rock lever 137 to lift actuator link 135 and rock lever 120 until link 115 has moved the tray T to the left sufficiently to place pocket 141 under anvil 146 and in position TP. Rocking of lever 120' clockwise is limited by a fixed stop 149 over lever 137, see FIG. '10,,the stop and cam 145 causing lever 137 to have the same stroke regardless of which solenoid is energized The operation just descnibed places a bobbin in pocket 141 in position for removal from the tray and movement toward the shuttle to be replenished, as be described hereinafter.

If pocket 142 is to be moved to position TP, then solenoid 122 will be energized and lever 120 will swing around the core in bore 132, see FIG. 11, and move pocket 142 to the left into position TP. If pocket 143 is to be moved under anvil .146, then solenoid 123 will be energized and i-tscore will become :the selected pivot for lever 120, and rotation of cam 145 will move link 115 and the tray to the right, see FIG. 12, until pocket 143 is in transfer position. Finally, if pocket .144 is to be moved to position TP, then solenoid 124 will be energized and rocking of lever 1 211 by cam 145 will move the tray in alright-hand direction to place pocket 144 under anvil 146. Selector means in head K determines which solenoid shall be energized, and of course only one solenoid will be energized at a time. After each operation cam 145 serves as a return means to reestablish normal positioning of lever 120 on stops 128 and 129.

It will be noted that half of the pivots ior lever 120 are on one side of a line joining pivots 130 and 136 and the other half on the other side, and for this reason half of the shiftings of tray T just described were to the left and half .to the night, thereby reducing to one-half the length of the tray any shift required of it to be made away from the loading position of FIG. 9. Also, the right hand end of lever 137 necessarily reaches the same elevation in FIGS. 10-l3, but the bores 131434, and pivot 136, are so placed that lever is given two different angular positions, as in FIGS. 10 and 11, and two other similar but opposite band angular positions, as in FIGS. 12 and 13.

Bobbin Transporting Mechanism When the tray has been moved to place the selected bobbin in TP position under the anvil, mechanism comes into action to remove the bobbin from the tray and advance it toward and transfer it into the shuttle. This mechanism is shown in FIGS. 2, 7 and 14-19. In FIG. 7 the tray is in position to locate a bobbin for removal therefrom by a transport lever shown as gripping the rings of the bobbin.

Referring more particularly to FIG. 2, the previously,

mentioned transporting lever PL is secured to a shaft rockable with respect to foot 161 of the fixed structure F held on the loomside 2. Part of foot 161 is broken away in FIG. 2 to show more clearly some of the structure behind it as seen in FIG. 2. Lever PL has a long arm 162 and a short arm 163 pivotally connected at 164 to a rearwardly extending link 165. The rear end of link 165 is pivoted at 166 (see FIG. 14) to a lever 167 pivoted on previously described fixed pivot 138. A lug 170 on the lower end of lever 167 is received by a cam slot 171 of a cam 172 which rotates with previously mentioned cam 145. The slot 171 receives lug 170 for a part only of the rotation of cam 172, and releases the lug during the remainder of the cam rotation, exposing the ungrooved part, or surface 173, for cooperation with the lug, but permitting the lug to move away from surface 173 if need be.

The arm 162 :has provision at its free end for gripping the butt end of a bobbin. The bobbin to be gripped, shown at B in FIG. 7, has a butt 17 5 with the usual rings 176, a mass of weft W wound on it in such manner as to have a cylindrical part 177 ending in a conical part 178, and has a tip 179 provided with a small threading bunch 180 of weft. The end of lever PL has spring jaws 181 formed with grooves to fit partway around and hold the rings on the bobbin butt.

The lever PL has a laterally extended lug 182 which normal-1y rests on the rearwardly extending part 183 of a bobbin transferrer arm 184 which is rockable on a relatively large and strong stud 185 supported by support 151 on base 153 of foot 161, see FIG. 2. Arm 184 has two spaced depending parts 186, see FIG. 19, between which is a transferrer latch 187 swingable about a stud 188 carried by said parts for engagement with a hunter 189 on the lay L, see FIG. 18. The transferrer arm 184 normally is held yieldirtgly inthe raised position shown 1n FIG. 15 by the usual coiled spring (not shown), and latch 187 is normally down, as in FIG. 18. p

The transferrer arm 184 has a finger 190i formed with a curved edge 191 which is concentric with stud 160 when the transferrer arm is in normal raised position. When the arms 162 and 184 are in normal position, arm 162 can rise and arm 184 is free to rock, but when arm 162 uses edge 191 and surface 192 of lug 182 interlock, and when arm 184 begins a bobbin transfer movement lower edge 193 of finger 190 concentric with stud 185 passes over lug 182 and the arms are again interlocked. It should be understood when viewing FIG. 19 that shaft 160 is considerably higher than stud .185, see FIG. 2. The mechanism for setting the loom for a replenishing operation is shown in FIGS. 14-18 and includes a fixed stud 196 on which are swingably mounted a shuttle feeler 197, a latch lifter 198, and a friction holding arm 199 to move between two stationarily mounted friction springs 209. A slender lifter arm 201 fast with arm 163 has a head 292 to engage the feeler 197 to rock it and the parts 198 and 199 which move with it when the loom is set for replenishment.

Lever PL is normally in the intermediate position of rest shown in FIG. 15, and'when it is to be brought into play, cam 172 will be set into rotation, this cam acting as an actuator for the lever. 'I he stud 170 will be moved to the left by groove 171 to lift arm 162, see FIG. 14, to discharge position enabling arm 162 to take the bobbin in the tray pocket in position TP by grasping its butt by the spring jaws 181. At the same time, lifter 201 will be moved to the left and roll or head 202 will engage the shuttle feeler and move the parts 197, 19 8 and 19.9 and the latch 187 from the position of FIG. 18 to that of FIG. 15. The transfer mechanism is thus set with the latch in the path of bunter189.

As earn 172 continues to turn it moves lever 167 to the right, FIG. 14, thus moving arm 162 down until lug 182 again engages part 183 of transferrer arm 184 and depressor finger 190. This is the normal position of arms 162 and 184, the latter being held up as mentioned in its highest position, and a bobbin now being held by arm 162 in a position spaced from the shuttle. At about this time in the cydle of the loom the lay hunter 189 strikes latch 187 and rocks the transferrer arm 184 counterclockwise as viewed in FIG. 16, moving surface 206 of finger 198 against lug 182 and pushing arm 162 down as arm 184 turns. This happens between the positions of FIGS. v15 and 16, the latter figure showing lug 182 at the right-hand end of surface 206. During this descent of arm 162 it cannot move up relatively to arm 184 because of engagement of lug 1182 with surface 206, nor

can it move down with respect to arm 184 because of engagement of the bottom of lug 182 with surface 207, see FIG. =19, of part183 of arm 184. The two parts 162 and 183 therefore move together to the position of FIG. 16, the bobbin butt heel 2118 of arm 184 remaining above the bobbin in the jaws of arm 162.

As the lay continues its advance it causes the curved of lug 182 while the under side of arm 162 engages stop 210. Arm 162 is thus held stationary from the position of FIG. 16 to that of FIG. 17 so that the heel 203, by

continued motion, moves the bobbin from arm 162 into the shuttle S. Bobbin transfer is complete when the lay .concentric surface 193 to pass over curved surface 209 reaches its front center position, as shown in FIG. 17,

and as the lay recedes arm 184 rocks clockwise to its norholding arm 129 clockwise, moving the latter away from the friction holding springs 200 and enabling the parts to fall to the normal position, FIG. 18. By this time the loom cycle roll or head 202 is considerably in advance of the shuttle feeler', and as arm 162 returns upwardly to its normal intermediate position, FIG. 15, being lifted by the transferrer arm 184, the roll will move rearwardly but will not interfere with the resetting movement of the shuttle feeler.

With respect to the operations just described, it should be noted that cam 172has the exposed or ungrooved part 1173 to permit tfree motion of lug 170 when arm 162 is under control of the transferrer arm. Also, the latch lifter 198, which holds the latch in the path of bunter 189 after lifting it, acts as part of a revoking means should the shuttle be improperly placed and strike the shuttle feeler as the lay advances. In that event, the hooked end 216 of lifter 198 will be swung forwardly into a depressor 217 on the under side of the latch to move the latter downwardly positively and prevent a faulty transfer operation. Another point to be noted is that the studs 160 and 185 are so placed and the lengths of arm 162 and part 183 of arm 184 are such't hat heel 2118 will be out of the path of the bobbin being moved down by arm 162, and then after the bobbin has moved 10 under the heel, both bobbin and heel can descend in proper relation for transfer of the bobbin into the shuttle.

Selective Electric Circuits and Cam's The fixed structure F has mounted thereon four electric switches 221-224, arranged front to back of the loom, each associated with a cradle operating mechanism. These switches are mounted on the fixed structure F, see FIGS. 2 and 3. One of the switches, namely, 223, is shown in detail in FIG. All of the switches are alike and the following description of switch 223 will suflice for all of them.

The part 366 of frame F, see FIG. 3, has secured thereto by screw 215 a holder 216 which has a switch 217 secured thereto by screws 218. A resilient arm 219 fastened to the switch 217 is positioned to raise switch plunger 220 to close the switch when the associated push pawl 54 rises. This will close the switch and keep it closed until the pawls 54 and 55 are lowered by the color slide.

The switches 221-224 are connected by wire 225 to an electric transformer 226 and are normally open. Each. will be closed by its corresponding push pawl 54 and remain closed so long as the pawl'is in raised position, but will open when the pawl descends. More than one of the switches 221-224 can be closed at a time.

One Rotation Clutch and Cams The previously described cams 145 and 1'72 are arranged to be given one complete rotation by the means shown in FIGS. 8 and 27. The top or crank shaft of the loom has a gear 236 secured toit meshing with an equal gear 231 supported by and rotatable on an normally stationary shaft 232 which, however, is rotatable in hearings on the loom frame. The cams 145 and 172 are each keyed to shaft 232 as is also a magnetic clutch 233 havring a coiled winding 234. the ends of which are connected to collector rings 235 and 236. The winding surrounds a core 237 on the clutch made of magnetic material, and when brushes 238 and 2.39 are energized the rings conduct electric current which causes the gear 231 to turn the clutch and shaft 232 and the cams secured to it.

In describing the circuits shown in FIG. 8 it may be assumed that shuttle S1 has. indicated depletion of weft and that the corresponding cradle rocking means 33 has had its pawls 54 and 55 raised, as already described, to

close switch 221. Assuming further that shuttle S1 is to return to the replenishing end of the loom, a circuit will be closed from transformer'226, switch 221, Wire 240, solenoid 121, wire 241, contact 21, arm 20, wire 242, switch 243 (at a given time in the loom cycle), wire 244, electromagnet 245, and Wire 246 back to the transformer. When this circuit is closed electromagnet 245 attracts armature switch 247 (to dotted lines, FIG. 8) to close the following circuit: line L1 of an electric power source,

247, thereby holding the clutch circuit closed after rotary switch 243 is turned far enough by the loom to open the circuit of electromagnet 245. The clutch remains energized while gear 231 makes practically one rotation, thus rotating thecams 145 and 172 to perform their functions, as already described. Asithe clutch nears the completion of its rotation tappet 253 raises arm 254, thereby opening the circuit on relay 258 andenablingspring 262 to open switch 247 and the'circuit throughcoil 234. The clutch and cams on shaft 232 and the latter thereupon stop turning and are in readiness for the next replenishing operation. FIG. 28 shows simple means for l. l holding the shaft 232 and its cams against undesired angular movement from the position just described. A cam 338 secured to shaft 232 has a notch 24-8 to receive roll 249 on an arm 250 pivoted at 261 and held in the position of FIG. 28 by spring 263.

If in the foregoing shuttle S1 had to be moved out of action upon arrival at the head end of the loom, then arm 20 would have moved away from contact 21 and the circuits described would not have been closed until shuttle S1 was again to return to action.

Should any one of the shuttles S2, S3 or S4 close its respective switch 222-224- the foregoing circuit would be closed as described except that the corresponding solenoid 122-124- would be energized.

In FIG. 27 the gears 23d and 231 are equal so that shaft 232 has a rotation in one pick of loom time, that is, the cams 14S and 172 complete their rotations on one beat of the loom. If more time is required for some of the operations of the loom gear 231 could be larger than gear 230, for instance, half as large again, so that such operations can be slower and subject to less wear and tear. Since the loom shown operates on a two-pick cycle the ratio of gear 231 to 233 should not exceed 2 to 1.

Bobbin Tip Bunch Remover Each reserve bobbin to be acted on by the replenishing mechanism will have a small weft bunch 180* wound on its tip and connected to the working mass of weft or yarn wound on the bobbin. This bunch is removed while the bobbin is in the placer or transport lever PL and moving toward the shuttle it is to replenish. Three forms of tip bunch removers are shown herein, the preferred form being shown in FIGS. 7 and 20.

As seen in FIG. 7, the shaft 160 to which lever PL is keyed (FIG. 14) has also keyed thereto an arm 270 having at its free end a guide 271 in which is slidably mounted a remover hollow head 272 in axial alignment with a bobbin which is being held by arm 162. The head 272 is hollow and has at its left end, see FIG. 20, an opening 273 to receive the tip of a bobbin. A flange 274- around opening 272 together with a circular shoulder 275 spaced from it define a space to receive a. soft elastic member 276, such as a rubber, having a cylindrical body 277 and flexible inwardly extending frusto-conical members 278 and 279. Cone 278 fits snugly against the conical part 178 of the wound Weft W on the bobbin when the remover is moved to the position shown in FIG. 20 to prevent unwinding of the weft and also prevent air within the head from escaping to the left, FIG. 20. The other cone 27 9 fits around the tip 179 of the bobbin just beyond, or to the right of, threading bunch ise. The cones in their normal shape are aligned and extend almost across the cylindrical body 277 and are deflected to the shape shown in FIG. 20 when head 272 slides to operating position.

Head 272 has an air inlet passage 235 aligned with a hole 286 in body 277 and a flexible pipe or tube 237 which fits into inlet 293 of head 272, is arranged to introduce compressed air into the elastic member 276, as will be apparent from FIG. 20, to exert pneumatic pressure to the left on cone 178 and to the right against the bunch 180, blowing it to the right of the remover head. Arranged along the air passageway 2% of the head 272 are inwardly projecting snares 231 bent in the direction of air flow to catch the weft ring or bunch 180 when the shuttle is picked after its replenishment. The cone 279 requires the escaping air to move along the bobbin tip and exert a force on the bunch which removes it, the air temporarily opening the cone 27 9 for the purpose.

The first modified form of bunch remover is shown in FIG. 21. A hollow remover head 295 has an inturned flange 296 to the outer s-urface of which a Washer 297 is secured by screws 298. The washer serves to clamp a centrally punctured soft elastic diaphragm 299 in place. Freely rotatable in head 295 are two small paddle wheels FIG. 2 1.

12 3% having flexible or resilient paddles 301 which conform to the bobbin tip as shown in FIG. 22. Air passages 302 communicate with pipes 3% connected to a source of compressed air (not shown). Air moves against the paddles by following paths suggested by the arrows at the bottom of FIG. 21 to turn the wheels so that their paddles move along the bobbin tip in a direction away from the Wound weft on the bobbin. The paddles and air remove the threading bunch and move it along passage 3% which is similar to passage 2% in FIG. 20. The diaphragm 299 acts much in the same manner as does cone 278. The head 295 slides in a bearing 362 5 similar to bearing or guide 271.

The second modified form of remover, shown in FIG. 23, has an enclosing hollow cylinder 3-19 in the left end of which is secured a bearing member 311 to the left end of which is secured a soft elastic diaphragm 3-12 mounted and acting as the corresponding part 299 in Sl-idable in the bearing is a piston 313 the left end of which has flexible resilient means 314 to slip over the bunch .180 when the head 310 is moved to the position of FIG. 23 relative to the bobbin. Thebearing member has an inlet 315 for compressed air. The piston 313 is surrounded by a spring 3 16 which normally pushes a shoulder 3 17 fast 'with the piston against the right-hand end of the bearing 311. Whenair is introduced through inlet 315 it pushes the piston to the right against the action of spring 316 and causes resilient means or fingers 314 to strip 'the bunch off the bobbin tip, [after which the compressed air blows the bunch along passage 313 similar to passage 2%. A slide bearing 319 similar to guide bearing 271 is provided for head 31%. The resilient means 314 may also be in the form of a diaphragm similar to diaphragm 312.

In all for-ms of the remover a slide bearing such as 271, 395 or 319, is provided on arm 270, or its equivalent. The means for moving the remover to bunch removing position and then back to normal idle position is shown in FIG. 7 and includes an actuator lever 325 pivoted at 326 to arm 273. The left-hand end of lever 325 is forked to extend above and below head 272 and each forked part is slotted at 3-24 to receive a pin extending from the head.

'One of the forks is shown at 327 in FIG. 7 and a pm at 328. 'Lever 3-25 is rocked by mechanism to be described whenever a replenishing operation is called. The remover does not move to active position until arm 162 has completely grasped the incoming bobbin, and it must have performed its function of removing the bunch and returned to inactive position before the arm 270 gets low enough to strike the. shuttle.

The mechanism shown herein in FIGS. 7 and 28 for reciprocating the head of the bunch remover includes a cam on shaft 232, and a lever operated by the cam and having a push-pull connection with lever 325. A collar 33% slidable on shaft has a circular slot 331 which receives the yoked end 332 of lever 325. The core 333 of the push-pull connection is fastened to collar 330 at 334 and extends through and is slidable within a coiled sheath 335. The sheath has its ends secure-d in position by fixed clamps one of which 336 is near the forward end (right end as seen in FIG. 7) and the other of which 337 is near shaft 232. The cam 338 already mentioned in connection with roll 249 is secured to shaft 232 and has a groove 339- for a roll 340 on a lever 341 pivoting on fixed structure 138. The adjacent end of core 333- is secured to lever 34-1 and when the latter rocks due to turning of cam 338 the corecauses. lever 325 to rock around pivot 326 to effect removal of the weft bunch on the bobbin tip.

Rembvwble Bobbin Magazines An important object of the invent-ion is to provide a removable reserve bobbin carrier which can be filled with bobbins having v'vefts of different types, such as color, in a winding room and then be taken to a loom and be placed in operative relation with respect to the various structures already described. This feature of the invention is shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 3 and 6, and as set forth herein comprises four magazines each comprising a pair of stacks or compartments for holding wound bobbins, each pair if desired having a weft supply distinctive from that of the other compartments, reading front to back, right to left in FIG. 2, are designed at 361, 352, 363 and 364.

Means-are provided for supporting the bobbins in the various compartments while the structure M is being transported to the loom and then moved to release the bobbins so they can pass to the cradles when needed. Slidably mounted in the lower part of each side wall 352, 353 is a bar 345. One of these bars is shown in detail in FIG. 3 and is formed as shown therein to fit a similarly shaped slot 34-6 in the adjacent wall. ,The bobbins have tips 179 and butts 175 and the bars, 345 have lugs to support the butts and tips. The bar for the inner wall 353 has a until the rods 377, by downward force exerted manually on the handles, enter the holes 331, thus locking the magazine in placeon the frame F. When the rods 377 descend their pins 379 are pushed down and act on the bars 345 to move them to the right as viewed in FIG. 2, thereby moving the supports 34-8 and 347 to bobbin releasing or non-supporting position, whereupon the lowest bobbins in the several stacksof the magazine are free to fall into their cradles when called upon to do so.

When the stacks of the structure M are empty of bobbins, or nearly so, the attendant will lift the handles, thereby shifting the bars 345 to place supports 348 and 347 under any bobbins which may remain in the magazine,

lug 348 for each stack of bobbins to engage and support the bobbin butts, or more strictly, the rings 176 ofthe butts. The bar for the outer wall 352 has a lug 347 for 7 each stack of bobbins to engage and support the bobbin Means are provided for handling the magazine when itis to be put in place on the fixed frame F, thisrne-ans' being'arranged to lock the magazine in place on frame F and also release the bobbin supporting lugs 348 and 347 and when stops 373'limit further angular movement of the handles and rods 377 are out of their holes381, the I magazine can be slid along ledges 365 for removal from the loom. Thereafter, a similar magazine structurefilled with wound bobbins can be put in place and operation of the loom continued without interruption. The empty structure can then be returned to the winding room for filling with a fresh set of wound bobbins.

' The several magazines are integrated with the structure F to form a unit wherein the bobbin butt and tip supports are moved into bobbin supporting or restraining position when the handles are rais'edto transport the unit, but move to releasing position when thelhandles are pushed down to lock the magazine unit in position. v The cradles may be considered to he means permanently mounted on the fixed frame F which advance bobbins from the stacks to their corresponding outlets at the'bottom of frame F. The fresh structure M just placed on the loom will have its bobbin groups registered with the cradles by rods 377 The frontand back walls 350 and 351 respectively. are

each provided with a handle, a lock rod and bearingsfor them. One of these arrangements will lie-described,

namely, the one for the. front wall 356. The other arbin supports it controls.

Near the upper right'hand part of frontwall 350 two bearings 370 are affixed to the wall and support a shaft 371 for rotationfsee FIG. 29. A handle 372 is secured to shaft 371 and has-a stop arm 373 which by engagement .With wall 350 limits ,upward motion of the handle. An

arm 374 also secured to shaft-Sldis pivoted to a link 375 the lower end-of which is pivotally connected at 376 to a vertical lock rod or belt 377. The bolt is slidable in bearings 37% fixed to the wall 350 and adjacent to its lower end has a laterally projecting pm 379. which extends into a diagonal slot 380 in the end of the corresponding bar 345' (shown for the rear handle in FIG. 2). The frame F has a hole 381 placed to receive each rod 377 when it is pushed down, provided structure M is correctly placed. The rods 377 and the holes 38-1 provide detachable means for holding the structure M inplace of frame When a filled magazine is being moved to the loom it will be held by its handles372 which will be in the raised position shown in FIG. 29. Lock rods 377 will therefore be raised and pins 379 will be inthe upper ends of their slots 38d, thereby holding the bars 345 to the left, FIG'. '2, to place the supports 348 and 347 under .the butts and tips of the lowest bobbins in the magazine.

While st-ill being held by the handles the bottom of the magazine will be fitted onto the ledges 365 between the guides 366 and the magazine slide along the ledges in holes 381. I

Time Chart and Operation and in-order determined by the pa-ttern chain and vibrator levers 10 and Ill. Detection of Weft exhaustion when the depleted shuttle is on the replenishing size will be followed two picks or beats later by replenishirnent' of the shuttle, provided-the shuttle returns immediately. The loom will not beprovided with the usual thread holder for weft ends of the reserve bobbins, but can be equipped with thread cutters and removers, and if a replenishing operation is revoked there will be sulficient reserve weft on the bobbin for a repeated indication of exhaustion without causing loom stoppage by the weft stop motion. 7

In FIG. 25 the letters F 61, T01, BKOl, BTCI represent front, top, back and bottom centers of the first pick or beat of operation, FC2, TC2, BKCZ and BT CZ represent the second heat, and PCS and TCS the beginning ofthe third beat, the sequence beginning with a shuttle S1 at the replenishing end, right-hand side of FIG. 1, and the lay at front center so that the Weft detector is detecting the Weft in shuttle S1. If ample weft is present the feeler, or detector, gives no indication of depletion and the loom continues to run in usualnonreplenishing manher. It will be assumed, however, that shuttleSl is depleted of Weft to cause the feeler to indicate exhaustion, see block H, FIG. 25. I

The color slide has its finger 77 registered withthe front pair of lugs 60 and 61 and has been rocked by detector lever to raise the front pairof pawls, block III, FIG. 25, thereby dropping the bobbin in one of the cradles of the front pair 33 through outlet Mia and into tray pocket 141 and also closing switch 221, block IV. The shuttle S1 will be picked at or about at top center TC1, block V, toward the head or left end (-1516. 1). During the latter part of the flight of the shuttle the vibrator levers 1G and 11 that determine which. shutle will be picked back from the left to the right will be in stationary control position, block VI, FIG. 25, and switch will be positioned for the conditions prevailing during the next shuttle flight.

Any one of shuttles S2, S3 and S41- can be picked back to the magazine end, in which event switch 20 will be away from contact '21 and switch 221 will remain closed until shuttle S1 is again active. It will be assumed that shuttle S1 will return and that switch 24) will engage contact 21 some time before the shuttle box gang LG begins to shift. Shuttle S1 boxes at BT01 and the box shift b-egins block VII. Timer switch 243 then closes, see block VIII FIG. 25, and remains closed long enough to set relay 258.

As soon as switch 243 closes due to loom running an electric circuit will be closed through solenoid 12 1 and pivot 13 1 will be established with respect to lever 120, see block IX. Closure of switch 243 also closed the circuit of the holding relay, see block X, and also closed the circuit of the clutch, see block XI, the clutch remaining energized after switch 243 opens.

Rotation of cam 145 causes the tray to move to locate pocket 14-1 in position TP, see block XII, and simultaneous rotation of cam 172 starts transport lever PL on its upward motion to grasp the bobbin in pocket 14-1. The transport lever, of course, will not reach the bobbin in pocket 141 until the tray has moved that pocket to position TP and dwells temporarily, after which the tray returns to normal position, all as in block XII; Block XIII indicates the motion of the transport'lever, which starts up in time to be fully up to take the bobbin in pocket 141 during the dwell of blockXII. The transfer latch 187 israised as arm 162 rises and is set for transfer during the dwell of block XII, see block XIV. The latch Will remain up, as described, when arm 162 moves down. During down motion of the transport lever the bunch remover comes into action as shown in block XVI,

the hunter 189 engages the latch, block XV and the transport lever and transferrer arm are interlocked, block XVII.

Operation of certain parts of the loom are not indicated in detail in FIG. 25, such as the weiit detector, connection between gang LG and the color slide, or the gearing in the head. If the shuttle upon its return does not box properly and'the called transfer is revoked, such revocation will occur, as usual, due to engagement of the shuttle O with the shuttle feeler 197 before the lay bunter can engage the latch, and will occur before block XIV marked Bunter is reached.

-As specifically shown herein the rotation of the cam shaft 232, block XI, will begin about or at P02 and end about PCS, but the hunter will remain engaged with the latch until the lay has begun its rearward motion and will pull away from the latch after FC3, as usual. It should be understood, however, that rotation of shaft 232 can begin earlier than as indicated in block XI. Its rotation can, in fact, begin very shortly after the time for vibrator levers 10 and 11 to be in control position, in which event more time will be available for some at least of the operations described herein.

Summary 16 other, thereby depleting the stacks uniformly. The means which lowers a pair of previously raised pawls can be controlled by connections with the gang LG, or with the head K, but the movement of the tray to place a previously received bobbin in TP position is controlled by the vibrator levers in the head at a time earlier than would be possible by a control derived from the shuttle boxes LG. The bobbin tray is moved from its normal position to place a selected bobbin in position TP by a one-rotation cam acting through lever 120 in such manner that the tray is never moved more than half of its length. The bobbin transport mechanism moves a bobbin positively from the tray to a position under the transferrer The transport lever PL is operated by a onerotation'cam and raises the transfer latch when rising and when descending keeps the tip bun-ch remover aligned with thebobbin to be transferred. The tip bunch remover is operated by a one-revolution cam during part at least of the time the lever arm 162 is descending from its high position. The selective electric circuits each contains a switch closed when the weft detector indicates weft exhaustion and also a contact in the head corresponding to the first switch, and all of these circuits are common to the timer switch 243. The electromagnetic clutch acts to cut itself off after one rotation, but it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the particular form of clutch shown herein. The clutch can for 1 instance'take more than'one beat of the loom to complete its rotation. The magazine carries bobbins of diverse types in stacks which register with their respective cradles and pockets in the tray when the lock rods are put in place by down motion of the handles. Also, when the handles can be put down due to registry of the lock rods 377 with the holes 381 in the frame F the supports for the butts and tips of the bobbins in the magazine are moved to nonsupport position so that the bobbins can fall into their cradles. A freshly changed replenishing structure M can be put in place as a substitute for a structure removed with assurance that the stacks will register withtheir cradles and outlets at the bottom of frame F, and with their pockets in the tray T.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, what is claimed is: i

1. In a weft replenishing loom having a tray movable to present a bobbin with .a weft bunch on the tip thereof to a given position and having a bobbin transferrer arm to move the bobbin into a shuttle, a rockable transport lever to grip and move a bobbin downwardly from said given position into position for transfer by said drum, and weft bunch remover means operatively connected toand moving simultaneously with the lever and aligned with the bobbin being moved by the lever and having provision for surrounding the bobbin tip and then moving axially away from the tip to remove the bunch from the tip during movement of the lever downwardly and before said arm engages the bobbin.

2. The loom set forth in claim 1 wherein the lever is keyed toa shaft and a movable guide in which the remover slides is also keyed to the shaft for movement with said lever.

3. The loom set forth in claim 1 wherein the remover means is hollow and has therein :a soft elastic cone to fit the cone of the weft on the bobbin and has also means beyond the cone with respect to the weft on the bobbin to introduce compressed air into the remover means to force the cone against the yarn on the bobbin by the compressed air to prevent the latter from unwinding yarn from the bobbin when the bunch is being removed.

4. The loomset forth in claim 2 wherein tan-actuator lever is pivoted on the movableguide and moves bodily therewith and is effective when rocked relatively to the guide to move the remover toward and away from the bobbin.

5. The loom set forth in claim 3 wherein the remover 17 has a second soft elastic cone which fits the bobbin tip between the bunch and the weft Wound on the bobbin and is effective to push the bunch off the tip as the remover moves axially away [from the bobbin.

6. The loom set forth in claim 2 wherein the remover is hollow and has paddle Wheels rotatably mounted therein and has air passages to admit compressed air to blow against and turn the Wheels in a direction to cause their paddles to remove the bunch.v

7. The loom set forth in claim 2 wherein the remover is hollow and has a piston slidab ly mounted therein pro- 7 vided with a disc having bunch engaging fingers thereon,

and means provided to introduce compressed air into the remover effective to move the piston away from the bobbin and cause the fingers to remove the bunch.

8. In a remover for a bunch of weft connected to a working mass of weft of a bobbin and wound on the tip of the latter, a hollow head having a perforated flexible member extending across an end thereof, means efiective to move the head toward the bobbin to cause said tip to pass through and be surrounded by said head and locate said bunch inside said head, and means to introduce'compresse-d air into the head to cause a stream of air to exert a force on said bunch tending to remove it from said tip, said member preventing escape of air from the head in a direction from the bunch toward the working mass of weft.

9. The remover set forth in claim 8 wherein the memher is made of soft elastic material which engages the weft and prevents the compressed air from unwinding the working mass of weft.

10. The remover set forth in claim 8 wherein the working mass of weft on the bobbin has a conical shape near the tip end of the bobbin, and said member is of frustroconical fonm made of soft elastic material and shaped to fit the conical part of the working mass of weft.

11. In a remover 'for a bunch of weft connected to the wonking wefit of a bobbin and wound on the tip of the latter, a hollow head having therein two spaced soft rubber diaphragms provided with aligned perforations, means to move the head against the bobbin to cause the tip to enter said aligned perforations and locate the bunch behind the second diaphragm, and means to cause compressed air to enter the head between the diaphragms, the diaphragm more distant from the working weft causing the compressed air to escape around thetip close to the bunch to exert a force on the bunch, tending to remove it from the tip.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,845,957 Banks et a1. Aug. 5, 1958 2,872,948 Newbegin et a1. Feb. 10, 1959 2,892,470 Corneliusson et a1. June 30, 1959 2,956,593 Baurnann Oct. 18, 196i) 

1. IN A WEFT REPLENISHING LOOM HAVING A TRAY MOVABLE TO PRESENT A BOBBIN WITH A WEFT BUNCH ON THE TIP THEREOF TO A GIVEN POSITION AND HAVING A BOBBIN TRANSFERRER ARM TO MOVE THE BOBBIN INTO A SHUTTLE, A ROCKABLE TRANSPORT LEVER TO GRIP AND MOVE A BOBBIN DOWNWARDLY FROM SAID GIVEN POSITION INTO POSITION FOR TRANSFER BY SAID DRUM, AND WEFT BUNCH REMOVER MEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED TO AND MOVING SIMULTANEOUSLY WITH THE LEVER AND ALIGNED WITH THE BOBBIN BEING MOVED BY THE LEVER AND HAVING PROVISION FOR SURROUNDING THE BOBBIN TIP AND THEN MOVING AXIALLY AWAY FROM THE TIP TO REMOVE THE BUNCH FROM THE TIP DURING MOVEMENT OF THE LEVER DOWNWARDLY AND BEFORE SAID ARM ENGAGES THE BOBBIN. 